Cortines Wraps Up As LAUSD Superintendent

Los Angeles - Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Ramon Cortines wrapped up his tenure leading the district today, passing the torch to his top deputy.

Cortines, who announced his retirement last year, was hired by then-Superintendent David L. Brewer in April 2008 to oversee the day-to-day operations of the district. He took over as superintendent Jan. 1, 2009, following Brewer's retirement.

He previously served as LAUSD interim superintendent in 2000, as Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's top education adviser and was the head of school districts in New York and San Francisco.

"Ramon C. Cortines is a bold and courageous leader who has taken a colossal steps toward improving overall academic achievement, pushing LAUSD's lowest-performing schools to dramatically change their practices and empowering school communities to make more decisions at the school site," LAUSD board President Monica Garcia said.

"His professional decisions are guided always by his deep understanding of the needs of students, by his belief system that every student can succeed and by his inviolable personal integrity," she said. "He is greatly loved and admired and will be deeply missed."

Cortines battled through difficult financial times during his tenure, slashing budgets and issuing layoff notices to thousands of district employees.

The Service Employees International Union Local 99, which represents district cafeteria workers, bus drivers and other classified employees, issued a statement praising Cortines' leadership of the district.

"He steered the district through some of its most trying times and it would have been easy, even expected, for union workers and school administrators to entrench on opposite sides on budget issues," according to the union. "Yet, he always looked for ways to bring all sides together to find solutions. Even when difficult decisions were made, and we disagreed, Ramon Cortines could be counted on to bring honesty and integrity to discussions."

The Board of Education in January chose John Deasy, a top deputy to Cortines, to take over the district. He will become superintendent effective Friday, April 15.